Well vanilla Risk is fun from time to time, but it's not a game I enjoy playing a lot of. I prefer either 2210 A.D. or Godstorm, because they are more chaotic. I like Risk for it's randomness because each game is different in how it goes. There is strategy in Risk, but that strategy can be torn to shit by dice (or cards in the other versions).
If you're enjoying the game, then by all means, keep playing. I'm not trying to deny anyone their fun. I just think that Risk is WAY over-rated and does more harm than good when trying to get a new person to play a wargame. To quote the last poster in the thread I linked to above:
"I suppose Risk is fine for what it is, and it is THE ancestor to a lot of my favorite games...but it's obsolete now. There is no reason to play it if you are aware of better games. If there were any justice, a game like Nexus Ops would've already replaced Vanilla Risk on retail store shelves. Nexus Ops offers the same light wargame goodness with differentiated troops, the ability to inflict simultaneous casualties, mission cards, and cards to influence key battles, not to mention a very light economic/resource game very much like any fan of RTS games are familiar with. And...it plays in an hour and a half. See the point?"
I like 2210 AD because of the randomness of the board itself (start off with places nuked), and the cards. It plays much faster that a traditional Risk game, but is still loads of fun.
On another note, has anyone played Twilight Imperium? That is a long game.
I can see your point about RISK being a bit outdated, and even a little overrated, perhaps. I have never play Dust or any of the others, but I will give them a try. They'll be hard-pressed to tear me away from RISK, though.
And anyone who says that RISK games use the same strategy over and over again has not played the game enough. Random dice do play into the outcome of the game, but good strategy will overcome bad dice any day.
On another note, has anyone played Twilight Imperium? That is a long game.
Twilight Imperium is a LONG game. But even though it looks like a wargame, it really isn't. Twilight Imperium is actually the cold war, set in space, with multiple factions all trying to maneuver with each other for the best advantage. It has this slow buildup where everyone is jockeying for new technology, votes on the galactic council and trying to grab up the free planets. There isn't the constant back-and-forth, agressiveness from the get-go, that games like Risk, Axis and Allies, Dust, and even Diplomacy have.
It's a fun game to play, but if you go in there thinking it's a wargame, you're going to do very poorly.
Oh, neat. It's nice to see RISK get a makeover in its rules. It's a classic game that does have some flaws (I personally don't like how the troop bonuses for sets increases so much late in the game), but it's still quite accessible and fun.
I really need to find a gaming group to play some more of these types of board games... and one of these days I'm gonna have to play Twilight Imperium. One game I have in my collection, called ATTACK!, which is a relatively accessible wargame kind of like RISK that itself has some flaws. Apparently there's been plans on a new Deluxe Version also with revamped rules, but with the original production company undergoing changes, I haven't been able to tell if it is actually coming out or not - it was planned to come out this summer.
My roommates and I played the hell out of some Risk.
For like three weeks.
There's only so many ways it can play out.
We switched to Settlers of Catan and have not regretted it. It doesn't scratch that wargames itch, really, but it's very very balanced, plays faster, doesn't eliminate players, has a highly random board, demands different strategies for each game, and allows much more opportunity to "game" the other players (Risk mostly boils down to "treaty?" and "haha! broken treaty!").
OhtheVogonity on
Oh freddled gruntbuggly...thy micturations are to me/ As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee
On another note, has anyone played Twilight Imperium? That is a long game.
Twilight Imperium is a LONG game. But even though it looks like a wargame, it really isn't. Twilight Imperium is actually the cold war, set in space, with multiple factions all trying to maneuver with each other for the best advantage. It has this slow buildup where everyone is jockeying for new technology, votes on the galactic council and trying to grab up the free planets. There isn't the constant back-and-forth, agressiveness from the get-go, that games like Risk, Axis and Allies, Dust, and even Diplomacy have.
It's a fun game to play, but if you go in there thinking it's a wargame, you're going to do very poorly.
Very true. It's more of a political game than anything. But it's a helluva lot of fun, if you have the time (and space) to dedicate to it.
MrB: Move to Central Florida My roommates and I are all over board games.
When we play board games (few times a week), it's usually between Settlers (plus expansions), RISK 2210AD, and Twilight Imperium (if we start early enough). Lately, we've picked up a couple of the Munchkin card game sets. And we're always looking for board games to add to our collection; it's good times.
Posts
"I suppose Risk is fine for what it is, and it is THE ancestor to a lot of my favorite games...but it's obsolete now. There is no reason to play it if you are aware of better games. If there were any justice, a game like Nexus Ops would've already replaced Vanilla Risk on retail store shelves. Nexus Ops offers the same light wargame goodness with differentiated troops, the ability to inflict simultaneous casualties, mission cards, and cards to influence key battles, not to mention a very light economic/resource game very much like any fan of RTS games are familiar with. And...it plays in an hour and a half. See the point?"
On another note, has anyone played Twilight Imperium? That is a long game.
And anyone who says that RISK games use the same strategy over and over again has not played the game enough. Random dice do play into the outcome of the game, but good strategy will overcome bad dice any day.
Twilight Imperium is a LONG game. But even though it looks like a wargame, it really isn't. Twilight Imperium is actually the cold war, set in space, with multiple factions all trying to maneuver with each other for the best advantage. It has this slow buildup where everyone is jockeying for new technology, votes on the galactic council and trying to grab up the free planets. There isn't the constant back-and-forth, agressiveness from the get-go, that games like Risk, Axis and Allies, Dust, and even Diplomacy have.
It's a fun game to play, but if you go in there thinking it's a wargame, you're going to do very poorly.
Any interest in a game amongst us forumers?
Everyone lost interest after my uncanny luck with dice got to the point where I could simply tell them "Going to be double sixes again."
I really need to find a gaming group to play some more of these types of board games... and one of these days I'm gonna have to play Twilight Imperium. One game I have in my collection, called ATTACK!, which is a relatively accessible wargame kind of like RISK that itself has some flaws. Apparently there's been plans on a new Deluxe Version also with revamped rules, but with the original production company undergoing changes, I haven't been able to tell if it is actually coming out or not - it was planned to come out this summer.
For like three weeks.
There's only so many ways it can play out.
We switched to Settlers of Catan and have not regretted it. It doesn't scratch that wargames itch, really, but it's very very balanced, plays faster, doesn't eliminate players, has a highly random board, demands different strategies for each game, and allows much more opportunity to "game" the other players (Risk mostly boils down to "treaty?" and "haha! broken treaty!").
Very true. It's more of a political game than anything. But it's a helluva lot of fun, if you have the time (and space) to dedicate to it.
MrB: Move to Central Florida
When we play board games (few times a week), it's usually between Settlers (plus expansions), RISK 2210AD, and Twilight Imperium (if we start early enough). Lately, we've picked up a couple of the Munchkin card game sets. And we're always looking for board games to add to our collection; it's good times.